Words are Powerful Things.....

I am awestruck today at the power of words.
They seem to be these benign little things that come out of our mouths, yet they wield a power greater than we realize.
Scripture says they have the power to burn a forest, and that is true.

Once said, they cannot be taken back. They are 'out there' and now have to be dealt with, for good or bad. So what you say matters, and even more, how you say what you say. We used to tell our girls, "it was not what you said, it was how you said it".
So today what have you said in a way that helps or hurts, heals or wounds, builds up or destroys?

Today I was reminded so vividly of this principle. I said something, albeit posted it in a social network of typed word, it was still 'said'.
Imagine my utter suprise and, worse, my horror to have what I said so misunderstood that I suddenly became the object of someone's vapid and bitter vitriole.

Upon disovering the 'out there for everyone to see slander', I could have responded in many different ways. I could have blasted the respondent, as many would have done, for they completely took what I said and twisted it, I could ignore it, or I could lovingly confront.

Ah, and there is the rub. To confront, lovingly or otherwise, is not my nature. I would just as soon curl up in a corner and pretend it didn't happen. So to blast them for their response would be out of my comfort zone, but I confess it did cross my mind. But, that was the old me.
The born again Lord-loving me had to sit and process the cutting words and see if they had merit. Then I had to decide how to handle it.

After long thought and prayer, I went about it in such a way as I think would be pleasing to God and confronted the person, lovingly... and in private. In this venue, this meant a personal message. I tried to explain my earlier words and tried to help this individual, who I might add does not know me at all, to understand what I said, as well as what I meant.
Only time will tell if this was both productive and helpful.

For now, I am left with the thought that my Heavenly Father knows my heart, and that I would be distraught had I not tried to 'fix' the misunderstanding, for to me the verse, 'as much as is possible, be at peace with all men' is more than a suggestion, it is a precept to be carried out.

I had a family member who had the distinct gift/curse of cutting you off at the knees and leaving you bleeding before you knew you had been wounded. I have come to believe this was a distortion of the gift of words that God had given them. Had this individual used the 'words gift' properly, there is simply no telling what amazing things could have been accomplished for the kingdom of God through them.

So once again I ask you, what are you doing today with your words?
Use them sparingly, and wisely.

Grace, Grace, Gods Grace

GRACE......
Isn't it the mere mention of the word that drives the point home in our inner being that were it not for that one thing, we would be lost?

I have been musing on this today....for reasons I am not at liberty to share here. I have just been thinking about how much that grace affects our everyday lives.

As a young person, I was sure I had all the answers. I was probably even a bit annoying in making sure others knew I thought I had them. To those folks, consider this my big apology, for as the years have gone by, and I have lived a lot more life, I realize I knew ....well, nothing. Count it up to the wisdom that begins to happen as the hair goes gray, along with spending more and more time in the company of my Savior.

Everything I thought I knew, everything I thought I understood, everything I thought I was right about has been upturned.
In true form for scripture, God had it right (well of course He did)...
'When I was a child I thought and spoke as a child.'
It is the next part of that verse that is the encouragement to me now. There is the 'out' of getting to be grown up.

It is a bit of a shock when you hit that point, that 'aha' moment when you understand that grace covers the worst of yourself. You know your own heart and mind better than anyone, so you are the only one who can completely appreciate the mammoth gift of that grace. You alone know how wretched you are, and wonder of wonders, God's love covers it.

I will go a step further and add, there is a second 'aha' moment. This is the one I contemplate more today, the one where you finally get to the 'grown up' moment of realizing that God is doing that in other peoples lives as well. Not only is He doing that in their lives, but in yours He is equipping you to 'allow' them their mistakes, their setbacks, their own 'journey to holiness'.

Growing up means learning that I am full of faults that it is a miracle that God forgives.
Growing up means that I begin to understand just how much I don't know and how much God does.
Growing up means allowing other people to make mistakes, and thus allowing them room to be forgiven because that is what God does.

So today, as I check my own list of expectations for myself and for others, I pray that I can apply my 'aha' revelations in a way that frees us all to live with grace applied.

A few roses if you please

So, I have finally worked my way into the blogosphere, and I am none too sure that anything I have to say is of any merit, but it will give me a way to share what I am thinking and if of benefit to someone else, then all the better.

So travel with me, this is a whole new journey and there is no telling where this will take us!
:)